Given the chance to stay at home a day after one of the biggest heartbreaks of his career, Dynamo forward Brian Ching decided to move on as quickly as possible.

Instead of dwelling on being a surprise omission from the U.S. national team heading to the World Cup, Ching wanted to be with his teammates.

Although the pain and shock were obvious, Ching, 32, returned to practice Wednesday morning at Robertson Stadium a day after U.S. national team coach Bob Bradley released his 23-man roster for South Africa 2010.

Sixteen years after being one of two players cut on the day the national team’s 22-man roster was selected for the 1994 World Cup, Dynamo coach Dominic Kinnear gave Ching the option to get away.

“I spoke with Dom yesterday, and he was extremely nice in the sense that he said I didn’t have to come in today if I didn’t want to,” Ching said. “But for me to sit around at home by myself and with this weighing on my mind would be difficult. The best thing I thought was to come in and have a good time with the guys. A lot of them understand exactly what I’m going through, and they try to help me out, try to make me smile. It’s good, and I feel great right now.”

Considering what he had contributed during qualifying for the 2010 World Cup and his work leading up to his selection for the 2006 team, Ching was considered a near lock for a team that has a low level of international experience at forward.

“Yeah, I really was (surprised),” Kinnear said. “I think a lot of people were. I think that’s why a lot of people are here today probably. I think everyone’s kind of surprised and wanting to get the story.

“Everyone sees the game a little differently. I have a lot of respect for coach Bradley and what he’s done with the national team. Obviously, I have a bias because I see Brian every day, and I thought that, yeah, he could have been on that roster. I think I was surprised when I saw that list come out.”

Ching had recently returned from a left hamstring strain. He played Tuesday in the national team’s 4-2 loss to the Czech Republic.

“To be completely honest, when I got the news, I was just kind of in shock a little bit,” Ching said.

“It’s tough, but the thing that’s been helping me get through this is the tremendous support from my friends, my family and from the fans. The response a lot of the fans have given me over the past 24 hours is fantastic in helping me get through this.”

In 1994, then-U.S. coach Bora Milutinovic had 24 players in camp in Mission Viejo, Calif. When it was time to announce that team, 22 of them were told to show up at 12 p.m. in a certain U.S. polo. Two others were told to show up to visit with Milutinovic at 4:30 p.m.

Kinnear had been confident enough to purchase 25 tickets for all of the U.S. games in the group stage. But when he showed up for the 4:30 p.m. meeting, he knew he was toast when he realized the parking lot at the training complex was relatively empty.

To this day Kinnear remembers the sad call he placed to his mother, who burst into tears when he told her he’d be seeing her the next day.

“I just know the disappointment he went through,” Kinnear said. “We felt really bad because I think everyone in that locker room feels he was merited a spot just because of what he’s done in the past and qualifying. All very disappointed for him and we all wish he could have been on that final roster.”

Despite his 1994 disappointment, Kinnear remains a supporter of the U.S. national team. Like Kinnear, Ching hopes the U.S. national team does well in South Africa.

“They made their choice,” Ching said. “Unfortunately it went against me, but that’s his choice. I’m extremely proud of the way I played and the effort I gave over the past four years and my contributions to the team. But now I think my role is to the team and 100 percent trying to get this out of the way and allow everybody to focus on the national team and the guys being there. And the guys that are there are getting confidence and getting excited to play and move on and show well for the United States.”